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Press Releases
Endangered African Rhino Calf Named After State of Minnesota Apple Valley, MN – February 8, 2010: The State of Minnesota now has a little namesake on the other side of the globe. One of the last remaining, truly wild black rhinos has been named “Sota” in honor of the Minnesota Zoo’s direct involvement in the conservation of its species in Africa. Considered critically endangered, just a few thousand black rhinos remain in the wild today. The Minnesota Zoo, joining forces with The Nature Conservancy’s Africa program, has recently established a partnership with a local grassroots organization in northwestern Namibia, Save the Rhino Trust (SRT), to support their ongoing efforts to conserve the region’s unique, majestic desert black rhinos and the wild lands they need to survive. While on rhino patrol in recent months, Minnesota Zoo field biologist Jeff Muntifering along with SRT staff tracked down “Sharon,” a female black rhino–only to discover a one-month-old healthy male calf at her side! All rhino calves that are monitored by Save the Rhino are given a first name with the same first letter as their mother, and the captain of SRT’s tracking team decided to name him ‘Sota’ in appreciation of the new partnership with The Minnesota Zoo. Like each desert black rhino under SRT’s watchful eye, Sota’s health and whereabouts will be regularly monitored by SRT’s skilled trackers. “I had the privilege of traveling to Namibia in November with a group of Minnesota Zoo conservation supporters, where we were overwhelmed by the stark beauty of the Kunene desert region, home to the world's largest intact population of rhinos outside of fenced reserves,” said Minnesota Zoo Director Lee Ehmke. “We were introduced to the cutting-edge initiative to link community development, tourism and research to save the rhino and all the other animals that inhabit its range. The efforts of the on-the-ground team of scientists, trackers, camp operators and guards were impressive and inspiring. It’s great to know that the Minnesota Zoo, in partnership with SRT and The Nature Conservancy, is playing a vital role in saving this vast tract of wilderness. This was "brought home" in a very personal way when we learned about the thoughtful naming of the region’s newest resident rhino calf--"Sota"--by the Namibian conservation team, honoring the Minnesota Zoo’s contribution to the effort.” Black rhinos are one of five rhino species; between 1970-1990 they experienced a catastrophic 96% decline, largely fueled by the black market demand for their horns. One-third of the world’s remaining black rhinos now call Namibia home, while the rhinos monitored by SRT that range across Namibia’s remote northwest desert are the last truly wild population of black rhino. These hardy survivors persist almost entirely on unfenced, unprotected lands over five times the size of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Muntifering, who also serves as science advisor to SRT, will soon return to Namibia to continue field research and rhino monitoring efforts. To learn more about the Minnesota Zoo’s Black Rhino Conservation Program and SRT, please visit: Desert Black Rhino Project The Minnesota Zoo is located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. For more information, call 952.431.9500 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
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